Fic: Second Chances - Chapter 12
Title: Second Chances
Authors: princess_schez and gidgetgal9
Rating: R; dubcon, language, violence, sexual situations, AU. Also, does contain some spoilers for S4, even if the fic is AU.
Fandom: Charmed/Supernatural
Summary: A chance encounter and a spike in demonic activity reunite the Halliwells and the Winchesters in the future… with dire consequences.
Beta: My friend Lisa.
Characters: Sam and Dean Winchester; Bobby Singer; Piper, Leo, Phoebe, Wyatt, Chris, and Melinda Halliwell; Ruby; Lilith; Castiel; Anna; Cole Turner; Lenore
Disclaimer: We own nothing from either Charmed or Supernatural. Everything belongs to their respective owners. We're merely having fun with them.
The Road So Far: This is a sequel to the fic, Witches, Demons and Hunters - Oh My! It is recommended to read that story first, just so you’ll know what is transpiring here.
Chapter 12
Chris and Wyatt both slumped down on Bobby’s couch, exhausted. They were finally done with their work and were greatly looking forward to relaxing.
”For an old man, he is a cold, cruel, taskmaster,” Chris panted.
Wyatt dabbed at his forehead, too exhausted to even reply.
”You boys want a beer?” Bobby asked, holding up two bottles in his hands. In the exhausted brothers’ eyes, it gleamed like the Holy Grail. They gratefully accepted them and drank like there was no tomorrow.
Bobby chuckled. “Slow down there! I’ve got some news to tell ya, but I won’t be able to if you’re too sloshed.”
After a second, they pulled the bottles away from their lips and looked up at Bobby.
”While you two were tending the lawn, I got a call from Josh and Jefferson. They think Lilith might be popping up nearby, so they’re going to be keeping tabs and reporting in with us.”
”That’s good,” Chris said, his voice hoarse. He cleared it and continued, “We need to know what her moves are before she strikes. We’ll be better prepared if we know in advance.”
”Yeah, but what do you suggest?” Bobby asked. “Pull demons in here and interrogate them? Demons lie; they’ll just give us false info to protect their sorry rears.”
Chris was rubbing his chin, thinking about something. An idea was forming in his head. “I could pull some of my connections and see what I can find out…” His voice trailed off. “He owes me…”
Wyatt sat up, knowing what his brother was up to. “You think that’s a good idea? Do you know what Mom would do if she found out if you involved Cole?”
”What other choice do we have?” Chris replied.
Bobby was lost. His face was scrunched up, trying to follow the boys. “What in the blazes are you talking about? What connections do you have?”
Chris looked up. “Oh, I have some underworld connections. And there’s this ex-demon who owes me big time. He seems to know a lot about what’s going on with the different power factions.”
Bobby wasn’t sure what to respond to first. “Ex-demon?” he asked, finally settling on one question. “How can he be an ex-demon?”
Chris’ face broke into a small grin. “He kinda was the Source of All Evil at one time. Long story short, Mom and our aunts vanquished him, and now he’s stuck in limbo. But he’s a good source of demonic info. He might’ve heard some things that could be useful to us.”
Bobby had a bad feeling about this. Involving another demon, even an ex-demon, seemed like it held a high chance of failing. But before he could say anything, Chris was up and orbing away. He looked at Wyatt for answers.
”He can be pretty determined when he wants.”
-0-
Dean pulled the old, black car in front of the market, where Melinda waited for them. She held a few bags in her hands as she slid into the back seat.
Get out of me!
Melinda just smiled at the Winchesters, hiding the internal struggle going on inside. Patience, dear cousin.
”So, no problems or anything?” Dean asked, looking into the rearview mirror at Melinda. The young Halliwell still hadn’t shut up since she took over her body, but Ruby shook her head no, still giving him that grin. As long as he didn’t suspect…
”No, not one problem.”
”Good.”
As Dean pulled away from the curb, Sam asked, “What about you? Did you run into any problems at Donna’s?”
The happiness Dean felt slowly faded away again as his reunion with Castiel and the bombshell he dropped on him came back in full force now. “Yeah, actually, but I never even got to see Donna
Sam looked worriedly at his brother. “What - what happened?”
”Castiel is what happened.”
”What? Castiel’s back?” Sam asked, eyebrows raised. “Oh my God, what did he want? We haven’t seen him since the last time we…”
”Yeah, I know the last time we saw him,” Dean cut in. He kept his eyes on the road ahead, so as to not have to look in Sam’s eyes.
Ruby listened intently from the backseat while Melinda’s voice was still audible in the back of her head. So the angels are involved again?
”Well, what did he say? Did he tell you anything useful?” Sam was curious. If the angels were getting involved again, he wondered if they might actually be helpful when they faced Lilith this time. He hoped this was a good thing.
”Oh, he had a lot to say,” Dean replied, unable to keep the sarcasm out of his voice. “He, apparently, is on the outs with the other dicks and -“
”What? Why? How?”
Sam was full of questions now.
”Don’t know, didn’t get the chance to ask because then he said there was something I needed to know, something I needed to make peace with!”
Dean’s voice was slowly getting louder, and Sam knew that was never a good sign. When Dean’s voice got progressively louder, he knew to proceed with caution. He watched his brother anxiously, waiting.
Ruby turned her head and looked out the window, enjoying her new reflection. She liked this new body a lot. But her thoughts - and Melinda’s faint voice - were cut off when Dean finally spoke up again.
”That holy bastard had the nerve to tell me that I was the one who broke the first seal! That I was the righteous man who broke in hell!”
Sam’s mouth dropped open, and his eyes grew wide. Whatever he was expecting to hear about Dean’s encounter with Castiel, this hadn’t even crossed his mind. Sam wanted to know more, but he wasn’t sure if it was wise to press further when Dean was in this kind of mood.
Dean slammed down hard on the brakes, and the car screeched to a stop. They were on a deserted road, so no other cars were behind them. His fists pounded on the steering wheel, and he turned around and looked at Sam. Sam could have sworn he saw tears forming in the corners of his eyes, but he didn’t say anything about them.
”I started this, Sam! I am solely responsible for starting the Apocalypse!”
Sam was at a loss for words. Nothing he could say would take away what his brother was feeling. And anything that did pop into his head felt empty.
Ruby continued to smirk, but when Sam looked back at her, she quickly changed her emotion to one of deep concern.
”Dean, that’s - that’s awful!” she said, doing a near perfect imitation of what her cousin would’ve said.
”How does Castiel know this?” Sam asked gently, trying to get Dean to talk some more.
”He knew. He just did. The others didn’t want me to know, but he thought I needed to. He said that when Lilith returned my soul from Hell, she returned it without the memories. Did you tell Lilith to return my soul without the memories of Hell? Is that why I don’t remember a thing about my time in the pit? Answer me!”
Sam gulped and looked away, staring out the windshield. “Yes,” he said quietly. “I didn’t know what happened to you in Hell that had made you turn demonic in the first place, but it must’ve been truly bad, and I didn’t want you to remember it.”
Dean took a deep, calming breath. When he spoke again, it was much calmer this time. “Sammy, I brought this upon the world, and I don’t even remember doing it.”
There were no words that Sam could think of to try and comfort his brother. He placed a hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. Dean took another breath and then regained himself and continued the drive back home.
-0-
For the second time in just days, Melinda felt like a puppet. It was not a pleasant experience. What were the odds of two possessions almost back to back like that? This had to set some kind of record, in her opinion.
She watched as Bobby’s house grew in the distance, and when the car finally stopped, Ruby maneuvered her body out.
Sam doesn’t deserve you, Ruby thought. And to add further insult to injury, she turned and looked at Sam, their eyes meeting for a brief second. Giving him a wink, a playful, suggestive smile tugged on her lips as she walked back into the house. She would leave the bags for him to grab.
Sam felt a bit confused, admittedly. Something about the whole thing just seemed… unnatural.
-0-
As soon as Ruby entered the house, she was assaulted by Wyatt and the old geezer. Wyatt was asking her something or other about Chris, and Bobby was hovering around wanting to know if there were any demon sightings in town.
Inside, Melinda perked up upon hearing her oldest brother.
God, Wyatt! This isn’t the real me! She yelled, but the only words that came out of her mouth were, “No, there weren’t any demons, thank God! But you know, I’m not feeling too well right now, stomach pains - girl stuff you know, so I don’t think I’ll be able to make dinner tonight. I really just want to lay back and take it easy.”
Which, in actuality, was true, but Melinda was willing to work through the pain if she could just get Ruby out of her.
To further add to the effect, Ruby gave a yawn. Wyatt and Bobby looked at one another. Being typical guys, any mention of girl issues had them wanting nothing more than to leave.
“Sure,” they said in unison. “No problem.” And they left it at that.
By then, Dean and Sam had arrived with Dean carrying the groceries Ruby had left for them. When Bobby saw how pale and weak Sam looked, he got worried.
”It’s alright, Bobby,” Sam said, noticing the older hunter’s concerned look at him. “I just pushed myself too much. Having mobility again is going to take some getting used to.”
He gave Bobby a smile as the elderly man pulled him and Dean aside after they unloaded their bags in the kitchen and warned them about the impending surge of estrogen that was about to happen.
Demons they could handle. Women during their periods - in their opinion - were far worse.
-0-
When Melinda woke sometime later, it was nighttime. Unaware of how long she was asleep- but knowing it was for a few hours at least - she got up from the couch. Ruby led her into the kitchen; her stomach pains were now replaced by hunger. She opened the fridge and saw leftover homemade French fries, which she greedily ate.
Grabbing a knife from the kitchen - after all, her special knife was currently with her other body - she walked around the house, seeing who might’ve still been up. By the looks of it, no one was. One could’ve heard a pin drop in the quietness, but as she listened carefully, she heard the familiar but faint sounds of fingers tapping on a keyboard. Following the sounds led her to Sam’s room.
Bingo.
She took the knife and ran in down her arm, letting the blade cut into her. A trail of crimson followed in its path. Perfect.
She slowly opened the door and found Sam sitting back in bed, laptop open. He was only wearing a pair of boxers.
The glow from the computer screen lit up Sam’s face, and when he saw Melinda, he looked away. He was hardly dressed; quickly, he tried to cover up with the blankets. Melinda’s face broke into a small grin. Somehow, her facial features seemed harsher, not soft like he remembered.
”Um,” he began, “we - we tried to wake you earlier for dinner, but you were pretty tired, I guess -” He stopped, noticing the blood on her arm. “Mel, what happened to you? Are you alright?”
”I’m fine,” she said, drawing closer to him.
Sam’s eyes lingered down, away from Melinda, and to the knife he saw she carried. Placing the laptop onto his nightstand, he tried to swing his legs over and get up, but Melinda stood too close to him now, blocking him. She lifted her cut arm, her hand caressing his face. Sam tried to pull away but Melinda gently guided his face back toward her cut arm. He breathed; the blood tickled his senses as a familiar aroma filled his nose.
He tried to fight it, to not give in to the urge, but he couldn't hold out. He placed his lips on the fresh cut and tasted that wonderful flavor.
Ruby smiled, as Melinda’s faint voice sounded in the back of her head. Sam pulled her close, still taking in the blood that flowed from her arm. Pulling her borrowed body closer to Sam, she ran her hand down the length of his bare back.
He couldn’t get enough; the cut wasn't giving him enough. Ruby sensed this need and sat down beside him, with the knife on the bed. Pulling her shirt and bra off, she reached for the knife and drew it across her breasts, enticing him with the promise of more blood. Melinda screamed in the back of her head from the pain.
Instinctively, Sam went and drank, burying his face in her bare chest and feeling the wonderful effects of the blood. The pain and stiffness from earlier were long gone now, only replaced with a rather euphoric feeling of being in control once more. She pulled away and laid back; Sam following her like a lost dog as the brunette puppet wrapped her legs around his waist.
The sweet smell of blood drew him not back to Melinda's arm, or her breasts, but further down. He pulled in closer to her and drew down, closer to where more fresh blood waited for him.
Having fun, cousin? Sam is much more suited for me, silly girl.
You bitch! Let me go! Now!
Ruby gave her cousin a simpering laugh. If you insist!
Ruby's personality dropped to the back, leaving Melinda on the forefront and once again in control over herself - though she could now hear Ruby's thoughts in the back of her mind. She felt her pants and undergarments being slid down her thighs and felt his warm, wet breath on her thighs.
Melinda gasped. A soft sound slipped from her mouth; somewhere inside her, a part that had nothing to do with Ruby still inhabiting her - was a part that was actually enjoying this. She had long imagined, and wanted, to be here with Sam in bed. But she never imagined it like this.
She tried to speak, but found her voice raspy as she felt pressure between her legs. "Sam..." It came out so low, she didn't think he heard. She called his name into the air again. This time, he stopped and looked up, his lips and nose shining bright red. Something seemed to flash in his eyes now upon hearing his name, the dawn of realization.
As though seeing her for the first time, he paused. It was in this moment of clarity that Sam realized something was going on. His senses were back.
The ability to speak seemed lost to him, almost foreign. Quickly getting away Melinda, he wiped the blood from his mouth and nose. He couldn't even bear to look at her, not after what he’d just done. If he thought he felt shame the other night with Ruby, it was absolutely nothing compared to now. And then it hit him. Ruby. The familiar taste in her blood and Melinda’s, the strange way Melinda was acting - how could he not have seen it? How could he have been so stupid? From his first taste of blood, he lost himself as something dark took over him. He couldn’t stop….
Melinda slid herself off the bed and grabbed her discarded clothes. Sam kept his back toward her as she redressed.
After everything that transpired, she wasn’t sure what she was feeling. A lot of different emotions were going through her. She felt confused, conflicted, and hurt.
As she dressed, she remembered something she had read once about addictions concerning magical blood, and she knew about the strong, addictive power it wielded over people. Sam had fallen victim to it. With Ruby still inside, her blood was tainted, which Sam had been feeding off of. He lost control of himself from it. But it didn’t fully take away the hurt, only lessened it. Yet, there had been that part of her that was enjoying it.
”Ruby, show yourself,” Sam said quietly. His voice held a quiet anger inside it. He turned around as Melinda felt herself falling again inside her own body, and Ruby was once again at the forefront. The brunette girl’s eyes turned solid black.
”Sam,” she said, acknowledging herself in Melinda’s body.
”Ruby, get out of Melinda. Now.”
”Why?” she asked. “I’m trying to tell you something."
Sam’s eyes glared into Melinda’s… or actually Ruby’s. He didn't even know where to begin.
”Sam, don’t you realize how much better I am for you than Melinda?” She walked closer to Sam, placing a hand on his waist, her fingers slipping slightly below his waistband. “You don’t have to hide who you are with me.”
”I want you out, and I want you out now.”
His voice seeped pure anger, unlike anything she had ever heard from him before. Ruby stepped back.
”If I ever catch you possessing Melinda again, I will personally drag you back to Hell myself. Is that clear?” Sam’s voice was sharp and harsh.
Ruby stiffened up inside the body.
”Fine. Your loss, Sam.”
She gave him a look before black smoke began pouring quickly from Melinda’s mouth. The girl fell over onto the floor, panting, still bleeding from the cuts. Sam rushed over to her and helped her up. He expected her to slap him, scream, pull away, something, but she did none of those things. She looked at him, her eyes normal now.
"Thanks," she said.
Sam almost recoiled from her words. He didn't deserve a thank you from her. He profusely apologized, but saying he was sorry just wasn’t adequate enough for the situation at hand. Realizing he was still holding Melinda's hand, he let it go.
"Can - can we talk?" he asked. A heavy weight settled itself in the pit of his stomach. She looked up at him. He didn't care if Ruby was mad; he'd deal with her later. Right now were more pressing matters.
”So,” Melinda said, sitting back down on Sam’s bed. He sat beside her, rubbing his face with his hands, still smelling the blood on them.
He cleared his throat. “She told me it would help me gear up for Lilith and -”
He couldn’t go on. Gently, she placed a hand on his shoulder. “I don’t know much about magical blood, or demon blood, but the little I do know about it, it is addictive stuff. You couldn’t help yourself,” she replied. “And whether or not it will help you defeat Lilith, I - I couldn’t say.”
They sat quietly for a few moments, as Melinda tended to her sore arm and chest. Sam looked over at her; the guilt he felt slowly overwhelmed him. Here she sat, clothes bloody from her injuries, taking everything in.
”When did it happen?” he wanted to know.
”When I was at the store. Ruby appeared, saying she needed to tell me something. We went into a backroom when it - it happened.”
More silence encompassed them.
”Are you okay?” Sam finally asked, even though he knew the answer. “I mean, she cut you pretty good.”
”I’m fine, just a little sore.”
”Chris could heal you, couldn’t he? Or Wyatt?”
”It - it would be too hard and embarrassing to explain everything to them. Not to mention, they would probably try and kill you.” She tried making a small joke.
Sam nodded, understanding. ”But when they see the blood -”
Melinda smiled up at him. “I’ll take care of it. And it’s pretty late, I should probably be going.”
She made to get up. Passing by a mirror, she got a good look at herself. She looked like death warmed over.
”We have bandages and medicine in the bathroom,” Sam added.
”Thanks.”
Their eyes met. There was something she needed to get off her chest. “Sam, I - I want to apologize, too. These past few days have been difficult for both of us, I mean, with Lilith using me to suck your energy, and now with Ruby using me, the anxiety you must be -”
”No!” Sam nearly jumped off his bed, eyes wide in shock. “You shouldn’t have to apologize. I should. I mean, look at what I just did to you! My God, I would’ve totally understood if you slapped me upside the head! It’s the least I deserve!”
”Sam, you couldn’t help yourself. I understand.”
Melinda reached up and touched his arm. She wanted to reach up and kiss him, but right now wasn’t the time. Too much had transpired; she needed time to collect her thoughts. A shiver went down her spine as Sam gently held her face with his hand. When they finally pulled away, Melinda left his room, and Sam felt some of his anxiety lessen.
Sitting down on his bed, he felt a sharp pain in his left hand. Looking down, he saw the knife Ruby used on Melinda. It had cut him now.
He could see the faint trail of blood from where the blade made contact with his skin. Picking up the knife, he threw it across the room.
-0-
Melinda didn't sleep well that night. Her time with Ruby riding her body was still too fresh. This possession hurt in some ways a lot more than Lilith.
Her mind kept coming back to Sam. Her kind-hearted, shy but loving Sam.
Sam had been dealt some pretty crappy cards in life, and Melinda could understand why he might want to take the easy way this time. Demon blood could be some powerful stuff, but it had its cost.
Melinda knew it would kill the younger Winchester to become what he hunted, and the road of demon blood would take him there. She also knew that there was not just black and whites in the world but gray too. The murky path might be the only way to stop Lilith.
But, she wasn’t sure she could accept the cost. Sam turning dark would rip her world and most certainly Dean's world apart.
Then there was Dean; he had a right to know. If Chris or Wyatt were thinking of doing something so stupid, she would want to know.
Breaking Sam's trust made her stomach clinch in unease, but she knew it was the right thing to do.
Chapter 13...
Previous Chapters
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Authors: princess_schez and gidgetgal9
Rating: R; dubcon, language, violence, sexual situations, AU. Also, does contain some spoilers for S4, even if the fic is AU.
Fandom: Charmed/Supernatural
Summary: A chance encounter and a spike in demonic activity reunite the Halliwells and the Winchesters in the future… with dire consequences.
Beta: My friend Lisa.
Characters: Sam and Dean Winchester; Bobby Singer; Piper, Leo, Phoebe, Wyatt, Chris, and Melinda Halliwell; Ruby; Lilith; Castiel; Anna; Cole Turner; Lenore
Disclaimer: We own nothing from either Charmed or Supernatural. Everything belongs to their respective owners. We're merely having fun with them.
The Road So Far: This is a sequel to the fic, Witches, Demons and Hunters - Oh My! It is recommended to read that story first, just so you’ll know what is transpiring here.
Chapter 12
Chris and Wyatt both slumped down on Bobby’s couch, exhausted. They were finally done with their work and were greatly looking forward to relaxing.
”For an old man, he is a cold, cruel, taskmaster,” Chris panted.
Wyatt dabbed at his forehead, too exhausted to even reply.
”You boys want a beer?” Bobby asked, holding up two bottles in his hands. In the exhausted brothers’ eyes, it gleamed like the Holy Grail. They gratefully accepted them and drank like there was no tomorrow.
Bobby chuckled. “Slow down there! I’ve got some news to tell ya, but I won’t be able to if you’re too sloshed.”
After a second, they pulled the bottles away from their lips and looked up at Bobby.
”While you two were tending the lawn, I got a call from Josh and Jefferson. They think Lilith might be popping up nearby, so they’re going to be keeping tabs and reporting in with us.”
”That’s good,” Chris said, his voice hoarse. He cleared it and continued, “We need to know what her moves are before she strikes. We’ll be better prepared if we know in advance.”
”Yeah, but what do you suggest?” Bobby asked. “Pull demons in here and interrogate them? Demons lie; they’ll just give us false info to protect their sorry rears.”
Chris was rubbing his chin, thinking about something. An idea was forming in his head. “I could pull some of my connections and see what I can find out…” His voice trailed off. “He owes me…”
Wyatt sat up, knowing what his brother was up to. “You think that’s a good idea? Do you know what Mom would do if she found out if you involved Cole?”
”What other choice do we have?” Chris replied.
Bobby was lost. His face was scrunched up, trying to follow the boys. “What in the blazes are you talking about? What connections do you have?”
Chris looked up. “Oh, I have some underworld connections. And there’s this ex-demon who owes me big time. He seems to know a lot about what’s going on with the different power factions.”
Bobby wasn’t sure what to respond to first. “Ex-demon?” he asked, finally settling on one question. “How can he be an ex-demon?”
Chris’ face broke into a small grin. “He kinda was the Source of All Evil at one time. Long story short, Mom and our aunts vanquished him, and now he’s stuck in limbo. But he’s a good source of demonic info. He might’ve heard some things that could be useful to us.”
Bobby had a bad feeling about this. Involving another demon, even an ex-demon, seemed like it held a high chance of failing. But before he could say anything, Chris was up and orbing away. He looked at Wyatt for answers.
”He can be pretty determined when he wants.”
-0-
Dean pulled the old, black car in front of the market, where Melinda waited for them. She held a few bags in her hands as she slid into the back seat.
Get out of me!
Melinda just smiled at the Winchesters, hiding the internal struggle going on inside. Patience, dear cousin.
”So, no problems or anything?” Dean asked, looking into the rearview mirror at Melinda. The young Halliwell still hadn’t shut up since she took over her body, but Ruby shook her head no, still giving him that grin. As long as he didn’t suspect…
”No, not one problem.”
”Good.”
As Dean pulled away from the curb, Sam asked, “What about you? Did you run into any problems at Donna’s?”
The happiness Dean felt slowly faded away again as his reunion with Castiel and the bombshell he dropped on him came back in full force now. “Yeah, actually, but I never even got to see Donna
Sam looked worriedly at his brother. “What - what happened?”
”Castiel is what happened.”
”What? Castiel’s back?” Sam asked, eyebrows raised. “Oh my God, what did he want? We haven’t seen him since the last time we…”
”Yeah, I know the last time we saw him,” Dean cut in. He kept his eyes on the road ahead, so as to not have to look in Sam’s eyes.
Ruby listened intently from the backseat while Melinda’s voice was still audible in the back of her head. So the angels are involved again?
”Well, what did he say? Did he tell you anything useful?” Sam was curious. If the angels were getting involved again, he wondered if they might actually be helpful when they faced Lilith this time. He hoped this was a good thing.
”Oh, he had a lot to say,” Dean replied, unable to keep the sarcasm out of his voice. “He, apparently, is on the outs with the other dicks and -“
”What? Why? How?”
Sam was full of questions now.
”Don’t know, didn’t get the chance to ask because then he said there was something I needed to know, something I needed to make peace with!”
Dean’s voice was slowly getting louder, and Sam knew that was never a good sign. When Dean’s voice got progressively louder, he knew to proceed with caution. He watched his brother anxiously, waiting.
Ruby turned her head and looked out the window, enjoying her new reflection. She liked this new body a lot. But her thoughts - and Melinda’s faint voice - were cut off when Dean finally spoke up again.
”That holy bastard had the nerve to tell me that I was the one who broke the first seal! That I was the righteous man who broke in hell!”
Sam’s mouth dropped open, and his eyes grew wide. Whatever he was expecting to hear about Dean’s encounter with Castiel, this hadn’t even crossed his mind. Sam wanted to know more, but he wasn’t sure if it was wise to press further when Dean was in this kind of mood.
Dean slammed down hard on the brakes, and the car screeched to a stop. They were on a deserted road, so no other cars were behind them. His fists pounded on the steering wheel, and he turned around and looked at Sam. Sam could have sworn he saw tears forming in the corners of his eyes, but he didn’t say anything about them.
”I started this, Sam! I am solely responsible for starting the Apocalypse!”
Sam was at a loss for words. Nothing he could say would take away what his brother was feeling. And anything that did pop into his head felt empty.
Ruby continued to smirk, but when Sam looked back at her, she quickly changed her emotion to one of deep concern.
”Dean, that’s - that’s awful!” she said, doing a near perfect imitation of what her cousin would’ve said.
”How does Castiel know this?” Sam asked gently, trying to get Dean to talk some more.
”He knew. He just did. The others didn’t want me to know, but he thought I needed to. He said that when Lilith returned my soul from Hell, she returned it without the memories. Did you tell Lilith to return my soul without the memories of Hell? Is that why I don’t remember a thing about my time in the pit? Answer me!”
Sam gulped and looked away, staring out the windshield. “Yes,” he said quietly. “I didn’t know what happened to you in Hell that had made you turn demonic in the first place, but it must’ve been truly bad, and I didn’t want you to remember it.”
Dean took a deep, calming breath. When he spoke again, it was much calmer this time. “Sammy, I brought this upon the world, and I don’t even remember doing it.”
There were no words that Sam could think of to try and comfort his brother. He placed a hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. Dean took another breath and then regained himself and continued the drive back home.
-0-
For the second time in just days, Melinda felt like a puppet. It was not a pleasant experience. What were the odds of two possessions almost back to back like that? This had to set some kind of record, in her opinion.
She watched as Bobby’s house grew in the distance, and when the car finally stopped, Ruby maneuvered her body out.
Sam doesn’t deserve you, Ruby thought. And to add further insult to injury, she turned and looked at Sam, their eyes meeting for a brief second. Giving him a wink, a playful, suggestive smile tugged on her lips as she walked back into the house. She would leave the bags for him to grab.
Sam felt a bit confused, admittedly. Something about the whole thing just seemed… unnatural.
-0-
As soon as Ruby entered the house, she was assaulted by Wyatt and the old geezer. Wyatt was asking her something or other about Chris, and Bobby was hovering around wanting to know if there were any demon sightings in town.
Inside, Melinda perked up upon hearing her oldest brother.
God, Wyatt! This isn’t the real me! She yelled, but the only words that came out of her mouth were, “No, there weren’t any demons, thank God! But you know, I’m not feeling too well right now, stomach pains - girl stuff you know, so I don’t think I’ll be able to make dinner tonight. I really just want to lay back and take it easy.”
Which, in actuality, was true, but Melinda was willing to work through the pain if she could just get Ruby out of her.
To further add to the effect, Ruby gave a yawn. Wyatt and Bobby looked at one another. Being typical guys, any mention of girl issues had them wanting nothing more than to leave.
“Sure,” they said in unison. “No problem.” And they left it at that.
By then, Dean and Sam had arrived with Dean carrying the groceries Ruby had left for them. When Bobby saw how pale and weak Sam looked, he got worried.
”It’s alright, Bobby,” Sam said, noticing the older hunter’s concerned look at him. “I just pushed myself too much. Having mobility again is going to take some getting used to.”
He gave Bobby a smile as the elderly man pulled him and Dean aside after they unloaded their bags in the kitchen and warned them about the impending surge of estrogen that was about to happen.
Demons they could handle. Women during their periods - in their opinion - were far worse.
-0-
When Melinda woke sometime later, it was nighttime. Unaware of how long she was asleep- but knowing it was for a few hours at least - she got up from the couch. Ruby led her into the kitchen; her stomach pains were now replaced by hunger. She opened the fridge and saw leftover homemade French fries, which she greedily ate.
Grabbing a knife from the kitchen - after all, her special knife was currently with her other body - she walked around the house, seeing who might’ve still been up. By the looks of it, no one was. One could’ve heard a pin drop in the quietness, but as she listened carefully, she heard the familiar but faint sounds of fingers tapping on a keyboard. Following the sounds led her to Sam’s room.
Bingo.
She took the knife and ran in down her arm, letting the blade cut into her. A trail of crimson followed in its path. Perfect.
She slowly opened the door and found Sam sitting back in bed, laptop open. He was only wearing a pair of boxers.
The glow from the computer screen lit up Sam’s face, and when he saw Melinda, he looked away. He was hardly dressed; quickly, he tried to cover up with the blankets. Melinda’s face broke into a small grin. Somehow, her facial features seemed harsher, not soft like he remembered.
”Um,” he began, “we - we tried to wake you earlier for dinner, but you were pretty tired, I guess -” He stopped, noticing the blood on her arm. “Mel, what happened to you? Are you alright?”
”I’m fine,” she said, drawing closer to him.
Sam’s eyes lingered down, away from Melinda, and to the knife he saw she carried. Placing the laptop onto his nightstand, he tried to swing his legs over and get up, but Melinda stood too close to him now, blocking him. She lifted her cut arm, her hand caressing his face. Sam tried to pull away but Melinda gently guided his face back toward her cut arm. He breathed; the blood tickled his senses as a familiar aroma filled his nose.
He tried to fight it, to not give in to the urge, but he couldn't hold out. He placed his lips on the fresh cut and tasted that wonderful flavor.
Ruby smiled, as Melinda’s faint voice sounded in the back of her head. Sam pulled her close, still taking in the blood that flowed from her arm. Pulling her borrowed body closer to Sam, she ran her hand down the length of his bare back.
He couldn’t get enough; the cut wasn't giving him enough. Ruby sensed this need and sat down beside him, with the knife on the bed. Pulling her shirt and bra off, she reached for the knife and drew it across her breasts, enticing him with the promise of more blood. Melinda screamed in the back of her head from the pain.
Instinctively, Sam went and drank, burying his face in her bare chest and feeling the wonderful effects of the blood. The pain and stiffness from earlier were long gone now, only replaced with a rather euphoric feeling of being in control once more. She pulled away and laid back; Sam following her like a lost dog as the brunette puppet wrapped her legs around his waist.
The sweet smell of blood drew him not back to Melinda's arm, or her breasts, but further down. He pulled in closer to her and drew down, closer to where more fresh blood waited for him.
Having fun, cousin? Sam is much more suited for me, silly girl.
You bitch! Let me go! Now!
Ruby gave her cousin a simpering laugh. If you insist!
Ruby's personality dropped to the back, leaving Melinda on the forefront and once again in control over herself - though she could now hear Ruby's thoughts in the back of her mind. She felt her pants and undergarments being slid down her thighs and felt his warm, wet breath on her thighs.
Melinda gasped. A soft sound slipped from her mouth; somewhere inside her, a part that had nothing to do with Ruby still inhabiting her - was a part that was actually enjoying this. She had long imagined, and wanted, to be here with Sam in bed. But she never imagined it like this.
She tried to speak, but found her voice raspy as she felt pressure between her legs. "Sam..." It came out so low, she didn't think he heard. She called his name into the air again. This time, he stopped and looked up, his lips and nose shining bright red. Something seemed to flash in his eyes now upon hearing his name, the dawn of realization.
As though seeing her for the first time, he paused. It was in this moment of clarity that Sam realized something was going on. His senses were back.
The ability to speak seemed lost to him, almost foreign. Quickly getting away Melinda, he wiped the blood from his mouth and nose. He couldn't even bear to look at her, not after what he’d just done. If he thought he felt shame the other night with Ruby, it was absolutely nothing compared to now. And then it hit him. Ruby. The familiar taste in her blood and Melinda’s, the strange way Melinda was acting - how could he not have seen it? How could he have been so stupid? From his first taste of blood, he lost himself as something dark took over him. He couldn’t stop….
Melinda slid herself off the bed and grabbed her discarded clothes. Sam kept his back toward her as she redressed.
After everything that transpired, she wasn’t sure what she was feeling. A lot of different emotions were going through her. She felt confused, conflicted, and hurt.
As she dressed, she remembered something she had read once about addictions concerning magical blood, and she knew about the strong, addictive power it wielded over people. Sam had fallen victim to it. With Ruby still inside, her blood was tainted, which Sam had been feeding off of. He lost control of himself from it. But it didn’t fully take away the hurt, only lessened it. Yet, there had been that part of her that was enjoying it.
”Ruby, show yourself,” Sam said quietly. His voice held a quiet anger inside it. He turned around as Melinda felt herself falling again inside her own body, and Ruby was once again at the forefront. The brunette girl’s eyes turned solid black.
”Sam,” she said, acknowledging herself in Melinda’s body.
”Ruby, get out of Melinda. Now.”
”Why?” she asked. “I’m trying to tell you something."
Sam’s eyes glared into Melinda’s… or actually Ruby’s. He didn't even know where to begin.
”Sam, don’t you realize how much better I am for you than Melinda?” She walked closer to Sam, placing a hand on his waist, her fingers slipping slightly below his waistband. “You don’t have to hide who you are with me.”
”I want you out, and I want you out now.”
His voice seeped pure anger, unlike anything she had ever heard from him before. Ruby stepped back.
”If I ever catch you possessing Melinda again, I will personally drag you back to Hell myself. Is that clear?” Sam’s voice was sharp and harsh.
Ruby stiffened up inside the body.
”Fine. Your loss, Sam.”
She gave him a look before black smoke began pouring quickly from Melinda’s mouth. The girl fell over onto the floor, panting, still bleeding from the cuts. Sam rushed over to her and helped her up. He expected her to slap him, scream, pull away, something, but she did none of those things. She looked at him, her eyes normal now.
"Thanks," she said.
Sam almost recoiled from her words. He didn't deserve a thank you from her. He profusely apologized, but saying he was sorry just wasn’t adequate enough for the situation at hand. Realizing he was still holding Melinda's hand, he let it go.
"Can - can we talk?" he asked. A heavy weight settled itself in the pit of his stomach. She looked up at him. He didn't care if Ruby was mad; he'd deal with her later. Right now were more pressing matters.
”So,” Melinda said, sitting back down on Sam’s bed. He sat beside her, rubbing his face with his hands, still smelling the blood on them.
He cleared his throat. “She told me it would help me gear up for Lilith and -”
He couldn’t go on. Gently, she placed a hand on his shoulder. “I don’t know much about magical blood, or demon blood, but the little I do know about it, it is addictive stuff. You couldn’t help yourself,” she replied. “And whether or not it will help you defeat Lilith, I - I couldn’t say.”
They sat quietly for a few moments, as Melinda tended to her sore arm and chest. Sam looked over at her; the guilt he felt slowly overwhelmed him. Here she sat, clothes bloody from her injuries, taking everything in.
”When did it happen?” he wanted to know.
”When I was at the store. Ruby appeared, saying she needed to tell me something. We went into a backroom when it - it happened.”
More silence encompassed them.
”Are you okay?” Sam finally asked, even though he knew the answer. “I mean, she cut you pretty good.”
”I’m fine, just a little sore.”
”Chris could heal you, couldn’t he? Or Wyatt?”
”It - it would be too hard and embarrassing to explain everything to them. Not to mention, they would probably try and kill you.” She tried making a small joke.
Sam nodded, understanding. ”But when they see the blood -”
Melinda smiled up at him. “I’ll take care of it. And it’s pretty late, I should probably be going.”
She made to get up. Passing by a mirror, she got a good look at herself. She looked like death warmed over.
”We have bandages and medicine in the bathroom,” Sam added.
”Thanks.”
Their eyes met. There was something she needed to get off her chest. “Sam, I - I want to apologize, too. These past few days have been difficult for both of us, I mean, with Lilith using me to suck your energy, and now with Ruby using me, the anxiety you must be -”
”No!” Sam nearly jumped off his bed, eyes wide in shock. “You shouldn’t have to apologize. I should. I mean, look at what I just did to you! My God, I would’ve totally understood if you slapped me upside the head! It’s the least I deserve!”
”Sam, you couldn’t help yourself. I understand.”
Melinda reached up and touched his arm. She wanted to reach up and kiss him, but right now wasn’t the time. Too much had transpired; she needed time to collect her thoughts. A shiver went down her spine as Sam gently held her face with his hand. When they finally pulled away, Melinda left his room, and Sam felt some of his anxiety lessen.
Sitting down on his bed, he felt a sharp pain in his left hand. Looking down, he saw the knife Ruby used on Melinda. It had cut him now.
He could see the faint trail of blood from where the blade made contact with his skin. Picking up the knife, he threw it across the room.
-0-
Melinda didn't sleep well that night. Her time with Ruby riding her body was still too fresh. This possession hurt in some ways a lot more than Lilith.
Her mind kept coming back to Sam. Her kind-hearted, shy but loving Sam.
Sam had been dealt some pretty crappy cards in life, and Melinda could understand why he might want to take the easy way this time. Demon blood could be some powerful stuff, but it had its cost.
Melinda knew it would kill the younger Winchester to become what he hunted, and the road of demon blood would take him there. She also knew that there was not just black and whites in the world but gray too. The murky path might be the only way to stop Lilith.
But, she wasn’t sure she could accept the cost. Sam turning dark would rip her world and most certainly Dean's world apart.
Then there was Dean; he had a right to know. If Chris or Wyatt were thinking of doing something so stupid, she would want to know.
Breaking Sam's trust made her stomach clinch in unease, but she knew it was the right thing to do.
Chapter 13...
Previous Chapters
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11